New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Tamar Purple Star’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Impatiens  plant named ‘Tamar Purple Star’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading growth habit; mounded plant form; freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; large purple and red purple bi-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Impatiens hawkeri.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Tamar Purple Star’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Tamar Purple Star’.

The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-branching New Guinea Impatiens cultivars with freely flowering habit and large attractive flowers.

The new Impatiens originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 2002 in De Lier, The Netherlands of two unnamed proprietary selections of Impatiens hawkeri, not patented. The new Impatiens was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in De Lier, The Netherlands in 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the new Impatiens by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in De Lier, The Netherlands since 2003, has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Tamar Purple Star has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Tamar Purple Star’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Tamar Purple Star’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Impatiens:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading growth habit; mounded plant         form.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Large purple and red purple-colored flowers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Impatiens differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens are more freely branching than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens flower earlier than plants of the         female parent selection.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Impatiens differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens are more freely branching than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens and the male parent selection         differ in flower color.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the Impatiens cultivar Tamar Purple Bicolor, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,462. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivar Tamar Purple Bicolor in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens had larger flowers than plants of         the cultivar Tamar Purple Bicolor.     -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens and the cultivar Tamar Purple         Bicolor differed in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Impatiens, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Impatiens.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Tamar Purple Star’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘Tamar Purple Star’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in De Lier, The Netherlands, in 12-cm containers and under commercial practice during the summer in a glass-covered greenhouse with day and night temperatures averaging 18° C. Rooted young plants had been growing for about ten weeks when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Tamar Purple     Star. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Impatiens hawkeri, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Impatiens hawkeri, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five to seven days at             temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About six to eight days at             temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 14 to 19             days at temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 14 to 21             days at temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine; white to brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and outwardly spreading             growth habit; mounded plant form. Freely branching habit             with about eight lateral branches; pinching is typically not             required. Moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 21 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 39 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 18 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 8 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 6.7 cm.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong.         -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy in luster.         -   Color.—146C tinted with 178A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite or in whorls of about five; simple.         -   Length.—About 10.2 cm.         -   Width.—About 4.7 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Serrate with ciliation.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;             leathery; moderately glossy in luster.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 147A. Developing             foliage, lower surface: 183C. Fully expanded foliage, upper             surface: Darker than 147A; venation, 187C. Fully expanded             foliage, lower surface: 187B; venation, 187A to 187B.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 3.4 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper surface: 195C tinted with 185D. Color, lower surface:             187B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single rounded axillary             flowers. Freely flowering habit; usually about twenty             flowers develop per lateral branch. Flowers positioned above             the foliage and typically face upright or outward. Flowers             last about ten days under greenhouse conditions. Petals             self-cleaning, gynoecium persistent. Flowers not fragrant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse             conditions. In the garden, flowering from spring until fall             in The Netherlands. Plants begin flowering about nine weeks             after planting.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 5 cm. Depth: About 1.5 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.             Shape: Ovoid; pointed. Color: Between 74B and 185A.         -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five per flower in a single             whorl. Length, banner petal: About 2 cm. Length, lateral and             lower petals: About 2.8 cm. Width, banner petal: About             3.5 cm. Width, lateral and lower petals: About 2.5 cm.             Shape, banner petal: Roughly reniform. Shape, lateral and             lower petals: Broadly cordate. Apex: Retuse to emarginate.             Base: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and fully             opened, banner petal, upper surface: 81C; central blush,             74A. When opening and fully opened, lateral and lower             petals, upper surface: 81C; central stripe, 74A. When             opening and fully opened, all petals, lower surface: 81C;             central stripe, 74A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Three; one modified into an             elongated spur. Length: About 1.1 cm. Width: About 6 mm.             Shape: Ovate. Apex: Apiculate. Base: Cuneate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: 55A to 55D; towards the             apex, 175A. Spur length: About 4.6 cm. Spur diameter: At             flower, about 2 mm; at apex, less than 1 mm. Spur texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Spur color, upper and lower surfaces:             145D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4.4 cm. Diameter: About 2.1 mm.             Angle: About 45° from vertical. Strength: Moderately strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 145B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five fused at             anthers; filaments free. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther             color: 182D. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 158D.             Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About             1 mm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: 171D. Ovary             color: 146A; towards the apex, 178A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Impatiens have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to New Guinea     Impatiens. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Impatiens have been observed     to have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures ranging from about 4° C. to about 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct Impatiens plant named ‘Tamar Purple Star’ as illustrated and described. 